How major US stock indexes fared Thursday

U.S. stocks slumped again Thursday as investors continued to sell shares of technology and internet companies, industrials, and companies that rely on consumer spending. Several industrial companies tumbled after releasing their quarterly reports, and European…

U.S. stocks slumped again Thursday as investors continued to sell shares of technology and internet companies, industrials, and companies that rely on consumer spending. Several industrial companies tumbled after releasing their quarterly reports, and European stocks also fell as European Union leaders criticized Italy’s spending plans.

On Thursday:

The S&P 500 index skidded 40.43 points, or 1.4 percent, to 2,768.78.

The Dow Jones Industrial Average slid 327.23 points, or 1.3 percent, to 25,379.45.

The Nasdaq composite fell 157.56 points, or 2.1 percent, to 7,485.14.

The Russell 2000 index of smaller-company stocks gave up 28.85 points, or 1.8 percent, to 1,560.75.